Moving to
Malibu.

All Malibu data Compare Malibu

10,421people live here $194,421median household income▲ 141% above US $3,500+median rent per monthCensus top category $2,000,000+median home valueCensus top category

The Census tops out at $3,500+ for rent and $2,000,000+ for home value; it doesn't publish exact figures above those.

What it's like to live in Malibu

Malibu is a small city in California with household incomes running above the national average, a highly educated workforce, and schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.

The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Malibu deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, county unemployment above the national average, and crime rates above the national average.

The good

Higher-than-average incomes
Highly educated workforce
Average class sizes

The not so good

Rent well above the national average
High home prices
Above-average unemployment in the county
Crime above national average
Above-average commute times
Air quality concerns

How Malibu compares

Median household income

Malibu$194,421

California avg$99,122

US$80,734

Median rent (per month)

Malibu$3,500+

California avg$2,036

US$1,413

The Census tops out at $3,500+ for rent; it doesn't publish exact figures above that.

Median home value

Malibu$2,000,000+

California avg$734,700

US$332,700

The Census tops out at $2,000,000+ for home value; it doesn't publish exact figures above that.

What it takes to move to Malibu

Based on Malibu's median rent, home value and household income

To rent

$7,002

up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit

Income to keep rent under 30%: $140,040 a year
43% of Malibu renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent

To buy

$400,000

a 20% down payment on the median home

With 10% down: $200,000
Homes cost 10.3× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)

Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.

The details

Cost of livingCensus top category

$3,500+/mo median rent

Rent is expensive here, at $3,500+ a month median and well above the national average. This is the kind of city where housing costs deserve serious budgeting before committing to a move. Home prices are steep, with a median around $2,000,000+. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.

Median home value $2,000,000+ · 43% of renters cost-burdened

Job market

5.7% county unemployment

Unemployment in Los Angeles County is 5.7%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.

Los Angeles County (county-wide)

Safety▲ 72% above US

568 violent crimes per 100k

Crime is worth weighing seriously here. Rates run above the national average, and while plenty of residents live comfortably, neighborhood selection matters a lot more than it does in a safer city.

Property crime 2006/100k · Malibu Police Department · 2025 data

Getting around▲ 23% above US

32 min average commute

Traffic is a real factor here. The 32.1 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 6 in 10 workers drive to work; 40% work from home.

How workers get to work

Drive alone

51%

Work from home

40%

Carpool

4.3%

Walk

2.5%

Other

2.1%

Climate

Summers are comfortable, with highs around 68°F, and winters are mild, with lows rarely dropping below 50°F. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.

Average month

High °FLow °FPrecip (in)

30-year averages, 1991–2020

Education & workforce▲ 91% above US

69% bachelor's degree or higher

This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.

Schools

4 public schools inside the boundary

There are 4 public schools inside the boundary and 3 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.

Parks & recreation

The nearest national park or historic site is Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (6 miles away). There are 4 national parks and sites within a day's drive.

Bottom line

Malibu's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and a highly educated workforce; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. It tends to suit remote workers (40% of workers here already work from home) and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget, anyone moving without a job lined up, and people who dread long commutes.

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